Prompt 41: Alex sleeps on the couch
by FYeahAlexJo
Summary: Alex in the doghouse and have to sleep on the couch.
1. Chapter 1

"You think I'm sleeping with Pierce?" Alex asked frantically as he practically chased Jo up the stairs and down the hall. He jumped back in surprise as she slammed the bedroom door in his face. He sighed deeply before leaning against the doorway, his arms spread on each side to support his weight, "Come on, Jo. Let's talk about this." He waited a minute and when there was no response he knocked on the door softly, "Come on Jo, just open up."

The door suddenly flew open revealing his very pissed girlfriend. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him harshly, "Well? You gonna talk or what?"

Alex tilted his head to the side in frustration, "You gotta tell me what I'm supposed to be talking about."

Jo's jaw flexed as she narrowed her eyes, "You don't know? Just how many things do you need to explain?"

"I don't know of anything! You gotta give me a hint of what you've heard because I don't know of anything I've done wrong," he stated stubbornly.

Jo leaned towards him slightly, "Who was Pierce's intern today?"

Alex's eyes widened in surprise, "Irene? I didn't do anything with Irene."

"I know that. She was just there to hear what you were saying to others," she snapped off angrily before turning quickly and walking back into their bedroom.

Alex stepped into the room and crossed his arms, "And what exactly did I say?"

Jo started turning down her side of the bed, "Look Alex, I think I've been pretty understanding recently. I don't get angry when you let your friend kick me out of bed. I didn't argue when you invited someone to move in with us and didn't include me in that at all. I didn't say anything when you repeatedly blew me off for your friends or when I found out about the syphilis from Grey in a full OR."

He snorted in disbelief, "Oh come on. You really expected me to tell you that? Okay, fine. Ten years before I met you I had dirty sex with a nurse and got a shot of penicillin in my ass because of it. Happy?"

Jo laughed sarcastically as she looked at the ceiling, "It's not about the freaking syph. It's about your friend purposely trying to embarrass you and by extension embarrassing me and you do nothing. She kicks me out of bed and you do nothing. She calls me a hoodlum and you do nothing."

"How'd you know about that?" he asked dumbfounded.

"The same way I heard that you told Pierce she was sexy with good hair and a cute voice," she spat out in a raised voice. "What the hell, Alex?"

His eyes widened in fear, knowing he was in trouble, "Look, it didn't mean anything. I just told her that to lift her spirits. I was trying to be a good friend."

Jo nodded quickly, "Okay, how would you like it if I told Hunt he had a sexy chest? That his fiery red hair is something women go crazy for. That he's smart and charming and sweet. That he looks like he would be dynamite in bed. And that the way he feels people up is…"

"Okay, stop. I didn't go that far with Pierce," he pointed out weakly.

"Okay fine, you can take away that last part. But Alex, I can see in your face that the thought of me saying these things makes you sick."

"Because you have obviously thought them before."

"So why is Pierce any different? Answer me that. You can think about what makes her sexy, but I can't do the same with men? What sense does that make?"

He narrowed his eyes in frustration, "Oh don't turn this into a sexist thing."

Jo covered her face with her hands in anguish, "I'm not. This is about you and me. It bothers me to know that you even think about her as a sexy woman, but it hurts so bad to hear about you telling her that in front of a full OR. Why would you do that to me?"

"I wasn't doing anything to you. I was trying to help her out. I'm so freakin' tired of having everyone throw their crap on me. I was trying to be nice damnit and help her out. Did Irene-big-mouth tell you I stumbled all over the whole thing? I was uncomfortable and grasping for things to say. I'm trying to be a decent guy here and it keeps getting me in awkward situations and I'm freaking tired of it."

Jo met his eyes and held his gaze. She nodded resolutely, "Okay."

Alex blinked a few times, "That's it? Okay?"

Jo nodded, "You can sleep on the couch and see if you can pull together a better answer than that bullshit and try again tomorrow."

"Are you serious?"

"I am. Alex, I really wouldn't care how many beautiful women you are friendly to because I trust you, and I think I've made that very clear. But what I don't understand is how you keep brushing me aside for them. I feel down and in the dumps about my shitty past and I get 'sucks but it's the job.' But then your friend of just a few months has one bad date and she gets a two minute ode to her beauty and grace. What is that?"

Alex stared blankly at her, "You never told me that you were upset about your past."

"Yeah well you never asked." She shook her head and looked down, "I just, I deserve better than that. All I want is for you to pay me at least the same amount of attention that you pay them. I swear that's all. You can call them sexy all day if you want to, but you have to say those things to me too."

Alex began to speak when he was interrupted by Meredith breezing into the room, "Oh good, you're still up."

Alex shook his head quickly, "Actually we were in the…."

"Nope, we're all done," Jo chirped cheerfully. She walked over to the closet and pulled out a blanket and placed Alex's pillow on top of it before shoving the items into his chest, "Good night."

Alex stepped backwards out of the room with Meredith as Jo quickly shut the door behind them. She eyed Alex suspiciously, "What's that about?"

Alex shook his head, "I've been banished to the couch."

Meredith smirked as they walked down the hall, "Want me to kick her ass?"

Alex shook his head defeated as they descended the stairs, "No, she's right to be pissed. I gotta figure out how to fix it." He opened the door and glanced outside, "I'll see you tomorrow."

Meredith looked at him in surprise, "Seriously?"

Alex nodded solemnly, "Yeah." He shut the door softly behind her and fixed up the couch. When he was finished he sat down and cradled his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes knowing he wouldn't get any sleep tonight, "Damn it."


	2. Chapter 2

Alex stared at the ceiling, his mind going in circles. The seconds ticked by painfully slow. He looked at his watch and sighed that it still wasn't even two o'clock. He could have sworn time was going backwards. He sighed and tried to settle into the couch once more.

"Alex?"

He jerked up and turned around to see her, the brokenness of her voice causing him concern. She looked like she hadn't slept a wink either, "Yeah?"

She looked at him anxiously, "Did I wake you?"

He scratched the back of his head and sat up completely, "No, no you didn't. I have too much on my mind to sleep."

She walked over and slowly sat next to him on the couch, "I'm sorry, Alex."

He narrowed his eyes, "Why are you sorry? You have every right to be pissed."

She bit her lip and shook her head, "I don't have the right to kick you out of your own bed..."

"Our bed," he amended resolutely. "And it was a wakeup call that I needed."

"I should have done it another way," she said wearily. "I should have let you know when this stuff first started bugging me instead of letting it build up. I just...I didn't want to be a nag..."

He narrowed his eyes in disbelief, "Don't worry about being a nag. I'd rather you be a nag and me know where your head is than you keep it bottled up until you get fed up and either explode or leave."

She turned her head to meet his gaze, "That's not...that's not what's happening here."

Alex rubbed his face, "I'm just saying, I wanna know if I'm doing something to piss you off. Or not doing something I should. I just wanna know. Alright?"

Jo gave a ghost of a smile, "Alright." They sat in an awkward silence for a bit before Jo turned slightly towards him, "I hate fighting with you."

Alex gave a lopsided grin, "I hate fighting with you too."

"You've been acting like an ass," she added with a playful smirk.

Alex snickered and nodded his head, "I've been acting like an ass."

Jo leaned her head against his shoulder, "I think I've figured it out though."

Alex moved to wrap an arm around her shoulder, "How's that?"

Jo took a deep breath, "It's just…before a few months ago the only person I ever really had to split my time with was Jimmy. And now it's Meredith, Arizona, Torres, and Pierce. There's no telling who will need you next week. And I have a hard time sharing you. I think I'm a little selfish when it comes to you."

Alex leaned them back against the couch and kissed her temple lightly, "You're anything but selfish, Jo." She snuggled into his side some more and sighed in contentment. They stayed in a comfortable silence for a bit before Alex asked hesitantly, "We're okay?"

Jo nodded and ran her hand up his chest, "We're okay."

Alex was quiet for a second before asking hesitantly, "Can I come back to bed?"

Jo pulled away slightly and grinned impishly, "You can if you want to, but I was thinking of banishing myself to the couch for a while."

Alex furrowed his brows in confusion, "Why would you do that?"

Jo chuckled playfully and kissed the side of his neck as she climbed into his lap, "I think it might be fun." She reached up to rest her arms on his shoulders and raised an eyebrow, "You up for that?"

Alex grinned widely as he stroked her thighs and leaned in for a kiss, "What do you think?"


End file.
